What Would Bob Do? Dust is everywhere—even in your house's ductwork. But is it really necessary to clean out your air ducts? Let's look at the pros and cons. I am moving into a new home. The previous owners had a dog. I am wondering if cleaning the air ducts is worthwhile. Anyone had it done? Cleaning air ducts makes a lot of sense, at least in theory. Because dust gradually accumulates on virtually every surface, doesn’t it stand to reason that it would build up to an intolerable degree in the mostly untended HVAC ductwork that runs throughout your home? Yes, air ducts get dusty. But while air duct cleaning doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t always help either. There are certainly occasions when it’s appropriate, but there are a lot of times when it’s simply not necessary. 1. In most homes, dust collects within a safe range. Your furnace or air conditioning filters trap a high percentage of particles in the air, preventing them from entering the ductwork. Surely, that’s a reason to clean or replace your HVAC filters on a regular basis, but it’s not a strong argument for taking any further action.

2. Cleaning air ducts is not a do-it-yourself job. Even if you were inclined to do it, chances are good that you wouldn’t own the right tools, such as special rotary brushes and a high-powered vacuum. You’ll need to hire professionals, and the cost isn’t low. You could end up paying $500 for work that didn’t need to be done in the first place.dryer vent cleaning price list 3. In the course of cleaning nonmetal ducts, there’s a risk of dislodging vital connections or tearing walls. best way to clean unfinished wood furnitureIf undetected, such damage could seriously impact the efficiency of your heating and cooling appliances and let particle-laden air from the basement, crawl space, or attic enter the system.best rated miele vacuum cleaner

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that no evidence exists to suggest that any health hazards stem from light dust accumulation in ducts. In fact, shuffling across a carpet exposes a person to more contaminants. That said, the EPA does recommend cleaning air ducts if there is mold growth visible or if evidence points to an infestation by insects or rodents. best vacuum cleaner hardwood floors pet hairAlso, air duct cleaning may help to alleviate lingering odors caused by cigarettes or other sources.best wood floor refinishing products Before you contact a duct-cleaning professional for a consultation and estimate, it’s smart to do a little investigating on your own. best value for canister vacuum cleaners

(That way, you don’t have to take the contractor’s word for it.) Start by having a look at the duct registers or grilles: Are they discolored and coated with a fine, dark dust? If you remove the cover, reach into the duct, and wipe its sides with a damp rag, does it come out filthy? Go ahead and call the local service, if you discover that a seemingly excessive amount of dust is present. Alternatively, try limiting dust accumulation in your ductwork by using one or all of the following methods: • Install filters over each of your hot air supply registers, following the manufacturer’s instructions so as not to restrict airflow. Check those filters after a couple of weeks to see what they’ve picked up. • With a general-purpose caulk, seal any gaps between the edge of the duct and the wall opening. Dust that appears to be coming through ductwork may in fact be entering through that slim sliver of a gap. • Bring in an HVAC technician to do an annual furnace cleaning.

In the course of work, he will clean the furnace heat exchanger. If he finds that it’s not very dirty, in all likelihood the ducts aren’t either. There’s no way around it: Keeping the house clean demands your time, your energy, and even some of your money. Fortunately, this arsenal of cleaning tips can help you finish the housekeeping more quickly—and with fewer commercially sold products.Reduce Dust in Your Home and Save MoneyThere are many reasons to clean the air ducts in your home. When ducts are clean, the heating system lasts longer (because there is less dirt wearing out its components), we dust less often, and the air we breathe at home is cleaner. For those of us with allergies, this should be a welcome improvement. Probably you don’t own a high-powered, truck-mounted vacuum system with 150 foot-hoses; perhaps you can't afford the cost of such service. But I am going to tell you how you can clean air ducts yourself. Sure, you won't be able to reach every nook and cranny, but you can still eliminate roughly 85% of the dust in your system without spending any more than the cost of your new furnace filter.

There are many different designs of duct systems, such as attic systems and underground systems, but the theory of cleaning these systems is the same. You may not be able to access all parts of these systems (for example, underground ducts), but you can make a difference in your air quality by cleaning the parts of the system that you can reach. Things You Need to Clean Your Air DuctsFurnace Filter. You will definitely need a new furnace filter at the end of the job. Make sure you choose the right filter option for you.A household-type vacuum with a decent hose attached will work, but a heavier-duty "Shop Vac" unit is better, if available.Something closely resembling a toilet brush will work best, but a stiff-bristle paintbrush or something similar will do. Screwdriver or Hex Driver. Your registers are likely held in place by some kind of fasteners. You will need to use whatever tool fits the fasteners, usually a Phillips screwdriver or 1/4" hex driver.Unless you want to do a lot of dusting and sweeping right after you clean your ducts, you will find these useful to cover some registers while you clean others.

Start by covering up your supply air registers (openings that supply heated air to the rooms) with paper towels. You do this to keep dislodged dust from drifting into the rooms as you work. Simply lift the register, wrap the paper towel over the top of it, and replace it. 2. Turn on fan. You want the fan running while you are cleaning, to move the dust along that you are going to loosen with your banging and brushing. Set the thermostat to "fan on," and shut off the "heat/cool" mode so that only the fan is running. If you don't have a fan-only option, you can run the heat, or you might take this opportunity to install a newer thermostat with this helpful option.Make sure your old furnace filter is in place, so that the dust you knock loose doesn't end up getting pulled into the fan motor. 4. Loosen dust in ducts. Knock loose any buildup of dust in the duct work. Simply take the handle of your brush and begin tapping on any accessible duct work you have in the basement. This will help break up any deposits of dampened dust that may have stuck to the insides of the duct.

5. Clean supply registers. Now you can start sweeping out the dust in your supply registers. With the vacuum running and the end of the hose near the register, lift the register. Use the hose to catch any dust that is being pushed out by the fan, and proceed to sweep as far into the register's piping as your hose can reach. Use your brush to scuff loose any built up dust in the register. As you go through the house sweeping out the supply registers, you can remove and dispose of the paper towels you've put in place. 6. Clean return air registers. Sweep out your return air registers. These will likely be fastened with a screw and require your tool to remove them. Again, brush and sweep as far back into the register piping or cavity as you can. 7. Shut off fan and furnace. Shut the fan off at the thermostat and the power off to the furnace via the service switch or breaker panel. Do not just shut off the thermostat, because that doesn't turn off the power to the unit. 8. Clean out blower compartment and return air boot.

With the power off, you can remove the panels on the front of the furnace and access the blower compartment and the return air boot. Use your vacuum to sweep up the dust built up in the blower compartment and return air boot. This is where the great bulk of your dust will be. Since you’re in here, you should clean the furnace fan as well. 9. Replace furnace filter. Buying a better filter will definitely cut down on the dust in your home. But the better the filter, the more often you should change it; a dirty filter restricts the airflow to the fan, which results in the blower motor running hotter and reducing its lifespan. How often you should change your filter depends on your home, your pets, and your location. Accessing Main DuctsThe areas you could not reach with the steps above are not likely to contain a lot of dust and dirt. However, if you are determined to clean every place you can, there are a couple more things you can do. 1. Remove end caps from rectangular duct work.

If you have rectangular duct work, like in the picture below, you can remove the end caps to access the inside of the ducts. You can slide the "drives" down off the duct and pull the cap out of the "slips." So long as the duct is not butting up against the wall, you should be able to reach your vacuum hose in through the space uncovered by removing the cap, and sweep out any dust you find. You could even use a flashlight to look inside the duct for dirty areas. 2. Clean inside basement registers. Often duct work will include registers installed throughout the system to distribute air to the basement. If you remove these registers, you'll gain even further access to the main trunk line.If you do what you can of the items above, you will have made a significant dent in the dust in your environment, and you will have done the best you can, short of calling a professional air duct cleaning company. Do-It-Yourself Duct CleaningIs cleaning your own duct an option for you? Yes No Not me but someone else in my house, yesSee results